Hometown Meme
I was browsing through my flist for a bit (enjoying my coffee out of my new mug :-) and I was hit by something. No matter where you live, there are always places or things that are cool about your town, but visitors rarely ever know about them. So, tell us something (or several somethings) cool that the tourists never see or wouldn't know about. It
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It's a small community that sprung up around the mine site called 'Central Patricia', which was a Gold and Copper mine on/off from late 1920's till the 1970's. There is also the old townsite of Pickle Crow (now abandoned).
Pickle Lake now has a population of about 500 people (slightly more in summer, less in winter), whereas once had more than 2000 residents at it's peak. As a result there are quirks like the abandoned trailer park, which has roads, hookups for trailers, street lights, signs...really everything except residents. It's quite an eerie place to walk.
Pickle Lake is the most northerly community in Ontario with a year round (paved, and use the term loosely) road access. There is a gravel road that runs north of it, connecting to Windigo Lake and the 'Winter' (Ice) road system. It's airport is one of the busiest in Ontario because of it's relatively proximity to many fly in communities.
Weirdly, Pickle Lake has a relatively large Mennonite community, including an active Mennonite Church. It's not uncommon to see women in longer skirts, small head scarves and a Canada Goose Parka out snow-blowing or using a chain saw. Practical meets religious in one go!.
The residents are a very mixed up lot. I described it when I lived as the 'End of the Road in every possible way': Geographical, spiritually, economically...but thats not true. Many people have deep ties to the community or to the neighbouring First Nations Community (Reservation) of Mishkeegogamang or New Osnaburgh House, which is an OLD settlement, based around a Hudson Bay Trading Post site. Many Pickle Lake residents are First Nations (some have 'status' some don't), but many are not. Sadly, alcohol abuse and poor lifestyle choices are rampant amongst both populations, if more visible among the First Nations peoples.
The town is served by an Ambulance, Health Clinic, Fire Department, the OPP (police), a JK-9 school, and a 'Northern Store' where one can buy anything from milk to traces for your sled dogs.
The lands around Pickle Lake are STUNNING with amazing fishing and hunting. There are a number of bush road accessed and fly-in fishing/hunting lodged, that are truly world class.
There is hope that with new exploration for mining, the town may yet see a 'boom' of mining, and once again be a thriving community, but in the meantime continues as a transportation and mail sorting hub for the far north of the province.
If you ever get the chance, go visit! It really is like nowhere else you'll have every the chance to go.
T.C.
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